The present invention is directed to a water treatment unit, and more particularly, to a water treatment unit preferably for mounting on a water faucet or tap including a housing for containing water treatment media and a control valve for controlling the unit in several modes of operation.
Water treatment systems have been employed in the past for the treatment of water to remove various impurities and contaminants therefrom. For example, in my U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,729 a water treatment unit is disclosed which comprises a housing having a finely divided metal, such as alloys of copper and zinc, as one water treatment medium which is bactericidal and removes contaminants such as chlorine, and a second medium, such as activated carbon, for the removal of odors and the like. A valve is also disclosed in my patent which upon rotation of the housing containing the treatment media may be operable to anyone of several positions including service and backwash positions.
In my U.S. Pat. No. 6,254,772 a backwashable filtration system is also disclosed which includes a multimedia fluid treatment housing and a valve which is rotatable about an elongate axis between several positions including service and backwash positions.
It would be advantageous to provide a water treatment unit containing one or more water treatment media in which the media might be contained in a housing and an operating valve which is associated with the housing and media in order to permit the selection of several operating modes, and yet the unit would be sufficiently compact and organized to permit it to be mounted directly on the faucet or tap of the user""s sink. The present invention meets that criteria.
In addition to meeting the aforementioned criteria, the present invention is capable of operation between a service, spray and stream mode. In the service mode the water is treated by at least one if not all of the various water treatment media contained in the unit housing after which the water is discharged from the valve of the unit for service use. Moreover, the service discharge is preferably adjustable to direct the treated water as desired by the user, for example, upwardly to permit drinking the water as one would drink the water from a water fountain, or downwardly into a container or the like beneath the faucet. The stream and spray modes are useful, for example, for the rinsing of dishes or the washing of fruits and vegetables and, in these latter modes, the water will pass through at least one of the water treatment media in the housing.
Also in the present invention, the valve of the treatment unit may be operated in a backflush mode in which water may be directed in the reverse direction through at least one of the water treatment media to regenerate that media. The volume of flow through the unit may also be sensed to measure the life of the treatment media to signal when it should be replaced.
In one principal aspect of the present invention, a valve comprises a valve housing having an elongate chamber therein, an inlet for fluid on the valve housing communicating with the chamber, and first and second discharges on the valve housing communicating with the chamber, and the first discharge includes first and second openings for discharging the fluid from the valve housing. A stationary member in the chamber has a plurality of openings therethrough at least some of which align with the inlet for fluid and the first and second openings of the first discharge and the second discharge, and the stationary member generally conforms in shape and size to the shape and size of the chamber. A switch member is located in the stationary member which is rotatable between spray, stream and service positions respectively to direct the fluid to the first opening so that it is discharged from the first discharge in the form of a spray when in the spray position, to direct the fluid to the second opening so that it is discharged from the first discharge as a stream when in the stream position, and to direct the fluid to the second discharge on the valve housing to discharge the fluid as service fluid from the valve housing when in the service position.
In another principal aspect of the present invention, the stationary member comprises a gasket.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the stationary member includes at least one seal thereon which blocks communication between the inlet and selected ones of the first and second openings and/or discharges when the switch member is rotated between the positions.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the chamber, the stationary member and the switch member are generally cylindrical in cross-section.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the first discharge on the valve housing includes a cap overlying the first and second openings, the cap comprises a plurality of small openings and at least one large opening spaced from the small openings, and wherein the first opening of the first discharge is aligned with the plurality of small openings to discharge the fluid from the plurality of small openings of the cap as a spray when the switch member is in the spray position, and the second opening of the first discharge is aligned with the large opening of the cap to discharge the fluid from the large opening as a stream when the switch member is in the stream position.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the valve housing includes a substantially cylindrical portion, and the second discharge on the valve housing is on the substantially cylindrical portion and includes a passage which extends for a substantial distance around the substantially cylindrical portion.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, a control ring is located at the substantially cylindrical portion which covers the passage, the control ring includes a port therethrough for discharging the service fluid, and the control ring and port are rotatable about the substantially cylindrical portion to selectively direct the discharge of the service fluid.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, an adapter mounts the inlet for fluid on the valve housing to the discharge of a faucet.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, a slide member is located in the chamber which is movable longitudinally between a first position in which the switch member is functional in the spray, stream and service positions, and a second position in which the switch member is not functional in the last three mentioned positions.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the second position of the slide member is a backflush position in which the fluid is directed from the inlet for fluid on the valve housing to the second opening of the first discharge.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the slide member is in the stationary member and the switch member.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, a water treatment unit comprises a treatment housing containing a water treatment medium therein, and the aforementioned valve.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, an adapter mounts the inlet for fluid on the valve to the discharge of a faucet.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the a slide member is located in the chamber of the valve and is movable longitudinally between a first position in which the switch member is functional in the spray, stream and service positions, and a second position in which the fluid passes in the reverse direction through the treatment housing and water treatment medium to backflush the medium.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, when the slide member is in the second position, the fluid is directed from the inlet for fluid on the valve through the treatment housing and in the reverse direction through the water treatment medium to the second opening of the first discharge and is discharged therefrom as a stream.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the treatment housing contains at least two distinct water treatment media, and the fluid passes through at least one of the media when the switch member is in either of the spray, stream or service positions or the slide member is in either of its first or second positions.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the fluid passes through both water treatment media when the switch member is in the service position.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the water treatment media is a finely divided metal particulate and/or charcoal.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the treatment housing includes a projection thereon which extends into the chamber of the valve, and wherein the projection includes at least one passage therethrough and/or together with the chamber defines at least one passage therearound through which the fluid flows to and/or from the water treatment medium in the treatment housing.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the projection has an end opposite the treatment housing, and the end is located in the stationary member and the switch member.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the unit includes at least one sensor for sensing the amount of fluid flow through the unit.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the sensor is located in the valve housing.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood through a consideration of the following detailed description.